Water Wise It ™ – Creating a Water-Wise Lawn!

How often should I apply fertilizer to my landscape to keep it green?

Lawn Fertilization

It actually depends on what kind of lawn you want, but if you want a Water-Wise lawn then 2 times should be enough for a perfectly green lawn. The fall application of fertilizer is absolutely essential for the greenness of your lawn. If you apply fertilizer late in the Fall (sometime around Halloween) you should be able to wait until late May before you fertilize again. Then in the spring all you will have to worry about is weed control. Apply approximately 3-4# of nitrogen per 1,000 Square Feet per year to keep your lawn healthy.

Dogs on Lawn

Late fall is by far the best time to fertilize in cool season environments, regardless of the type of maintenance program the lawn falls under. Research has shown the benefits of this late fall fertilization after grass growth has slowed but the lawn is not yet dormant, because roots continue to grow after winter sets in. Spring applications are suggested around the end of May.

Fertilizing too often or using too much fertilizer increases the likelihood of harmful chemicals running off into streams or seeping into groundwater. The combination of over-watering and over-fertilizing can be dangerous to plants, animals, and people. Fertilize as sparingly as your lawn allows.

There are three main nutrients that are recommended for every lawn: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), and Potassium (K). Nitrogen is the key nutrient that aids in photosynthesis, but too much and your lawn will experience heavy top growth. On any fertilizer bag, Nitrogen is the first number listed followed by Phosphorous and then Potassium. For example a 24-6-12 fertilizer contains 24% nitrogen. Industry recommended ratios for fertilizer is 4:1:2 for mid season applications. Fall applications should be balanced with a higher Potassium content (i.e., 16-16-16).

Before installing turf it’s best recommended to till two pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet into the top 4 inches of soil prior to installation

No fertilizer is needed for the months from November through May, as long as you apply fertilizer late in the fall.

Cool Season Lawn Growth Cycle

As you can see in the above graphic the best time to affect the root growth of your lawn is in the middle of the spring and the fall. Don’t apply fertilizer when temperatures are higher than 85 degrees Fahrenheit as this will promote unnatural growth and could cause the lawn to burn.

Over-fertilizing can cause excessive growth, seed development, and can be harmful to the environment, causing serious damage to the ecosystem.

For more Care Tips for your lawn or to learn how to Water-Wise It™ download our lawn care guide at www.chanshare.com or send specific questions to larry@chanshare.com.

Water Wise It ™ – Creating a Water-Wise Lawn!

What watering schedule is best for a cool season lawn?

Here is the recommended watering schedule for a cool season lawn. This schedule recommends applying the water in a single application if possible. Sandy loam soil is the best soil type to accomplish this, but follow the adjustments below if you don’t have the optimum soil type.

Watering Schedule for Cool Season Grasses

Ultimately it depends on what type of soil your lawn is drawing water from. While the best soil for your lawn is sandy loam, we know that not every lawn will be exactly like this. So we have recommendations for all three basic soil types!

Sandy Soil

Sandy: Because of the structure of sandy soil, watering a full inch in one sprinkler cycle won’t be effective because the water filters through the soil much quicker than in other soils which means the water falls deeper than the roots before the lawn is able to absorb it. Therefore we recommend watering every other day and applying the same amount of water that is on the schedule. For example, during the heat of the Summer (July) apply 1/3″ every other day. This still applies a full inch every 6 or 7 days, but allows the grass to soak up the moisture before it drops below the root level.

Sandy Loam Soil

Sandy Loam: Sandy Loam is the ideal soil type and you should be able to follow the watering schedule directly. DO NOT SET YOUR CONTROLLER AND FORGET IT! You need to adjust your watering schedule to accommodate for differing temperatures and natural precipitation!

Clay Soil

Clay: Clay Soil compacts easily, restricting roots and preventing air, water, and nutrients from getting down to root level. Make sure that you are aerating a lawn growing on a clay soil 1-2 times in a year. Clay soil can prevent water from forming a deep water table and can cause run off. There is an easy solution to this, cut your watering time in half and cycle your system twice in one day. This will allow an air pocket to form between cycles and will push down the moisture as it goes into the lawn, helping the water from running off the lawn.

If you start following the watering schedule at the beginning of the season you should be able to cut your watering to around 24″ in a year. If you start training your lawn during higher temperatures you will need to take time to train the lawn to thrive on a differing water schedule. To do this start adding an extra day between your watering. Once the lawn has developed a deeper root system you will be able to cut back the amount of water you apply each week by filling up the water table with each watering cycle.

Plug Aeration

Aeration of lawns on all types of soil is recommended at least once per year. Aeration combats compaction of the soil and allows Air, Water and Nutrients easier access to the roots. And leave the plugs on the lawn so that they can break down and return organic material to the soil, and then you will need less fertilizer to keep your lawn healthy.

For more maintenance recommendations for your lawn and ideas on how to Water-Wise It™ download our Lawn Care Guide at www.chanshare.com or email questions to larry@chanshare.com.

Water Wise It ™ – Creating a Water-Wise Lawn!

What’s the best way to fix a brown spots in your lawn?

There are many causes for brown spots, not just under watering. So when you see a brown spot don’t just default to watering your whole lawn. The first thing you should check is if the area has adequate coverage from the sprinklers. If after examination you find that it is from under watering, just drag a hose to the one spot for the best results. If Sprinkler Coverage isn’t the problem some alternative issues can include:

Bugs: There are really only two types of bugs that cause issues with cool season lawns. Billbugs and Cutworms. With both of these insects the larvae do most of the damage. Cutworms leave their damage on both established, and new sods leaving small patches of brown grass usually 1-2 inches wide. The parent cutworms lay their eggs in late summer and the larvae hatch a couple months after, spending the winter in clumps of grass before feeding in the spring and maturing into moths in the early summer. Billbugs on the other hand lay their eggs in the early spring, soon after the grubs are hatched and they move to the crowns and roots of the turf where they eat at the turfgrass and produce a small circular pattern of yellow-brown grass. If the brown spot creeps and you can pull up the blades of brown grass easily revealing bare dirt apply a season long grub control. It is advisable to do this sometime between Mid-April and the end of May.

Urine Spots On Lawn

Pets: It’s a fact of life that animals pee, and if they do it in one specific spot over a period of time the acidity can wither away the grass. Luckily the solution is simple. Simply add one tablespoon of vinegar per gallon of drinking water to decrease the acidity of the urine.

Snow Mold on Lawn

Snow Mold: Snow cold is common in cold weather climates, especially where prolonged snow coverage is present. Snow mold will generally not kill bluegrass but some common-sense practices can be observed to minimize snow mold effects, like gradually lowering the blade of your lawn mower in the late fall, preparing your grass for winter. Another tactic is simply to fertilize your lawn in October to insure that the plants will be healthy throughout the winter. The final tactic is to lift the lawn blades by hand raking or by aerating in the spring as the snow melts off of the lawn.

For more information on how to care for your cool season lawn or on how to Water-Wise It™ refer to the Chanshare lawn Care Guide at www.chanshare.com or email pictures of the trouble spots to larry@chanshare.com.